Siddle turns tables on South Africa by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Event:

South Africa in Australia 2008/09

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DateLine: 27th December 2008

 

Finally Australia can claim to have the upper hand in the test series. They started their day placed at 280 for the loss of 6 wickets and the tail wagged and with the guidance of Clarke who scored an unbeaten 87 scored 394. South Africa in their reply were placed at a delicate 198 for the loss of 7 wickets and the last recognised batsman Duminy in the crease.

 

With the overnight score placed at a balmy 280 for 6 much depended on vice-captain Clarke and Lee, to extend their slender score. Clarke was literally crawling his way on the first day and resumed in that mode. Lee was the one to open up and the pair added a valuable 45 runs before Steyn once again intervened in the proceedings and had Lee edging to second slip where Kallis took a sharp and brilliant catch. Three balls later Styen made an absolute mess of Johnson's stumps. Steyn was on song here and after six overs Hauritz was removed by Steyn courtesy to a low and sharp catch from Smith at first slip.

 

The dismissal of Hauritz was not without drama but it was also a lesson of how to play the game in the true spirit of sportsmanship. It also showed how to implement the saying playing the game hard and fair. When Smith accepted the catch he was quick to say that he wasn't sure whether he caught the ball cleanly and did not resort to any wild celebrations, the umpires consulted and then the third umpire was called for. The decision came out in the favour of South Africa and Hauritz was quick to acknowledge the decision and left the field promptly without standing there and glaring at anyone. With that wicket Steyn collected his five-fer as he breathed fire for the first time in this tour.

 

The Proteas thought that the end was nigh but then they encountered another stubborn last wicket stand between Clarke and Siddle which was worth 42 and finally at the stroke of lunch, Kallis removed Siddle and with it the Australian innings came to a close at 394. Clarke once again played a patient knock, he stayed for 208 balls and collected only four fours and a streaky top-edged six from Makhaya Ntini, preferring to find the gaps and run hard.

 

If Hayden's form is a matter of concern for the Australian's then McKenzie's form in this tour will be worrying for the South Africans. McKenzie encountered his third failure in this tour. Peter Siddle confirmed his loss of form by getting him clean bowled in the second over of the South African innings. A resolute Smith and an elegant Amala then added a useful partnership of 38.

 

Amla looked set to play along innings till his fierce cut of Johnson found Symonds at gully. Smith stood firm and in the company of Kallis stitched together another vital partnership of 63 runs, when Jacques Kallis attempted an ambitious sweep off Nathan Hauritz to gift Haddin a simple catch.

 

In midst of losing his team mates Smith stood firm and looked to be the solid of the lot. His game is neither elegant nor possess a watertight technique. A very good fast bowler can pick up his technical shortcomings easily and exploit it to the hilt, but he overcomes this deficiencies with a very strong mind of his and the will to succeed. After being hit on the arm second ball from Brett Lee, Smith recovered quickly and picked behind point and midwicket for boundaries in an imposing start to his innings. He was becalmed for a while before tea but appeared to be coping well with a nagging elbow injury.

 

Just when it seemed that South Africa under Smith's guidance will challenge Australian score, Siddle struck, inducing the most foolish stroke from Smith. The ball was so wide that if Smith had left it the umpire would have been tempted to call it a wide, but Smith foolishly went fishing for that ball and Haddin took an easy catch. AB de Villiers struggled throughout his innings and his 51 ball 7 runs misery was put out by Siddle with a beauty of a delivery that jagged back a long way from outside the off to hit the top of off.

 

Hauritz the complemented Siddle by winking out Boucher who going for a powerful sweep struck straight to Hussey at square-leg. Duminy and Morkel did the repair work and was inching their total past 200 when Johnson was brought back into the attack and removed Morkel with big swinging yorker thus ending the partnership of 43 runs. Then Harris a genuine tailender and Duminy saw off the day without any more alarms.